Another – 10

Quick tip for new Another viewers – you might not want to watch the last minute of this episode without an extra pair of underwear handy. Fortunately, in Japan they sell those in vending machines.

I’ll make the same plea here that I did in my Mirai Nikki post – please do not post major novel/manga spoilers, even in spoiler tags. We’re so close to the end now – let us enjoy the surprise without having to worry about being spoiled. That said, let’s move on…

Some things are becoming increasingly clear as we get closer to the end. Most importantly, this series is absolutely superb – I stand in awe of the way it can move and unmake me with atmosphere alone (and in Japanese horror, atmosphere is everything). Sound design – when Teshi banged on the door of Mei’s room, jeepers… But also the amazing P.A. Works visuals, like the intercut of the trees waving in the wind and all the close-up work on Mei and Kouichi’s faces, with their subtle expression changes – this studio is raising the bar for themselves all the time.

It’s also becoming clear that Mizushima and the writing team take absolute glee in trolling us every chance they get – especially in previews. Using dreams in previews to throw us off is a repeating phenomenon, and they used it again in last week’s preview with Akazawa’s crying. Turns out she was remembering when she’d actually met Kouichi eighteen months earlier, explaining their handshake – and it was apparently she who was in mourning (crying, dressed in black), over her brother. This more or less confirms that Kouichi was in town – though perhaps not for the reason we guessed – and that everyone’s memory has been altered about it. That, in turn, seems to confirm a direct connection between Kouichi’s visit to Yomiyama and whoever the Another is. We’re trolled about Mochizuki being in trouble because he has the tape too – again, there’s an evident joy here in using horror clichés to tweak the audience.

As regards that tape, it confirms a lot of things speculated on in this column. Indeed, the third death of Matsunaga’s class trip was both the cause of the confession and (apparently) of beating the phenomenon – he got into a fight with a boy who turned out to be the Another and accidentally killed him. The name is not audible, though I don’t think that’s surprising given what we know of the phenomenon. The gist of the tape is, if you kill the Another you stop the curse – that’s what we need to know, as far as I can tell. As Kouichi points out, even if they knew who that person was, would it be so easy to kill someone who thinks they’re alive and is, by all sensory and emotional input? Nevertheless, if correct, this is obviously salient input.

All kinds of other things are happening at the spooky old mansion where the class is staying for their trip. I’ll note that Chibiki – who proclaimed himself “separate” from the class earlier – is with them, and when Mochizuki asks the class to pose for a photo (which seems oddly convenient as a potential future clue to the Another’s identity – also note that Mochizuki was conspicuously included in a photo as well) and asks the “teachers” to jump in, both Chibiki and Misaki do so. Akazawa disappointingly turns on Mei, announcing to the assembled class that it’s her fault the tragedy has befallen them, and only Kouichi, Mochizuki and Teshi jump to her aid. An asthmatic boy has an attack, and his inhaler is empty (phenomenon or not, what asthmatic goes on a trip without a spare?) and oddly, no one’s cell works and the lodge’s phones are dead, leaving Chibiki to drive the boy to town and the hospital (and conveniently out of the picture if things hit the fan as badly as the preview suggests, if it’s not trolling us yet again).

The most interesting stuff all involved Mei. Starting with Mochizuki telling she and Kouichi to “squeeze closer together” for the photo and continuing through her invitation to Kou-kun to “come by my room later”, the romantic chemistry between those two continues to be an undercurrent to everything that’s happening. The headline though is her revealing the secrets of her past – and present – to Kouichi, which my gut tells me is more critical to the solution than Matsunaga’s tape. Among the highlights – Fujioka Masaki was actually her twin sister, not her cousin – which strongly implies that the phenomenon began with her death (one degree of separation from Class 3), in April (before Kouichi’s arrival). Her mother (actual name Yukiyo) and Fujioka’s mother Mitsuyo were twin sisters too, and Mei was secretly given to Yukiyo to console her after the death of her own child (as referenced a few eps back). She also tells Kou that she can see death as a color, and even see it faintly in very ill or injured people – which is how she knows neither she or Kou are the Another – and confirms it in the photo from 26 years ago. How? With her “doll eye” – the one she keeps covered in school – which is how she knows who the Another is, when her curiosity got the best of her. She’s just about to reveal this when Teshigawara pounds on her door (this moment sponsored by Hanes and Jockey) to reveal that he may have done something terrible…

There are several elements of that conversation between Mei and Kouichi that struck me as significant, above and beyond the obvious. First, that Kou tells her his mother found the photo in “the detached room – the one Aunt Reiko uses”. Mei quite deliberately comments that Rei and Kouichi’s mother “really do look alike”. Possibly Kou’s comment about Rei considering painting as “her real job”. What’s her other job? If we’ve been told, I can’t recall it. This could all be yet more misdirection – before being interrupted Mei does go so far as to confirm that the Another is on the trip, which Reiko isn’t – but it was clearly inserted to be noticed. I’m certain that many will condemn Mei for not revealing who the Another was sooner, but I can see her problem here. Not knowing of Matsunaga’s “final solution”, what reason does she have to think revealing it would help? And again, as Kouichi points out, is it such an easy thing to kill someone who by all conventional perception is a friend or loved one?

If we’re to take what was on the tape and what Mei said as fact – and both seem more authoritative than what we’ve heard up to now – we certainly inched closer to the truth. Rather than the identity of the Another, I think the most interesting mystery here is going to be how everyone reacts. My instinct still tells me that this story is going to end up focusing on how the living treat each other, and when the Lord of the Flies gene kicks in I think it’s going to be ugly. I’m also keenly curious to find out if all the oddities surrounding Mei and the dolls will be tied in directly to the phenomenon, or explained at all. In any event, this has been an amazing ride and it saddens me that we’re only two episodes away from the end.

It’s that time again – the 2012 Spring Season Preview and Poll is posted at LiA. Please stop by and check out my view on the upcoming season and share what you’re looking forward to.

I want to watch the anime first before reading your blog GE but I just cant wait for it.. Now im really more excited to watch this, unluckily I have to go to work first (and still in the progess of downloading this episode).. T_T

It’s been a great series thats been so different from my more action and comedy based series. god knows whats goin to happen next but should be chaotic i imagine but its been awesome stuff. nice 1 for bloggin also enzo prob wouldn’t had watch if i hadn’t noticed the blogs
cheers

Great timing, as I just finished watching this ep myself. Holy crap this show gets me right in the pit of my stomach, as I was waiting for a repeat of last episode with Chibiki and the asthmatic boy in the car. I have not read the novel/manga but I’ll put my predictions in spoiler tags nonetheless.Show Spoiler ▼

I’m torn between going to what I see as the ‘obvious’ answer (Reiko) and what is the not-so-obvious answer (Akazawa) for the ‘Who is Dead?’ question. I honestly don’t even know which direction this show is completely pushing anymore, but it seems they’re really pushing the Reiko angle, and since this show likes to troll, I’m guessing its more likely to be Akazawa. Then again, it could just be a double-troll and be someone else completely, like Teshi or Mochizuki. Guess I’ll just have to see, but my bet right now is either Reiko or Akazawa.

Past that, no huge surprise that killing the ‘Another’ stops the curse, but the Misaki revelations are quite intriguing indeed…I love Misaki as a character!

Dumb but also very normal. Even if the person thought of that possibility, survival instincts would kick in and make the person insist that they were really alive, then desperation of wanting to live would fling them further towards it being someone else because if they were the Another, they’d need to commit suicide. It all leads back to whoever is rampaging not wanting to die and being really desperate.

Well, it’s not really proven yet although Teshi did almost blurt it out, so my reaction is purely conjecture but its main point was about Teshi revealing the ‘secret’ when they (the four that know) haven’t come to an agreement yet about what they’re supposed to do. The rest of the student body are clearly freaking out from the current events, so adding an ultimatum would only push them off the deep end.

And while going on a killing spree really is plain stupid, it’s not out of the question either as far as desperation is concerned; people do crack under pressure and pull crazy stunts.

The Another going on a killing spree as it fears for its life isn’t out of the question because the Another doesn’t know it is dead. But again, my point was about Teshi’s mouth setting more deaths in motion.

@KTNO: In the end there is a huge chance that more people would be saved.

Until next year…unless they find a sure-fire way to banish the curse. Somehow, I don’t think implanting a glass eye on the class to sniff out the extra and butcher it will stay in fashion.

@Ani_BEE:

They also didn’t reveal who was the one sharpening that…er..awl? I’m guessing it’s Mochizuki. Teshigawara, while an idiot, is also easy-going while on the other hand, Mochi is very serious and prone to worrying.

On an entirely different note, I laughed with dry humor at the asthmatic. Seriously? He was having the beginnings of an attack since daylight and he didn’t bother mentioning it to the teachers, nor did anybody notice how out of breath he was, clutching at his chest? And as Enzo pointed out, not carrying an extra dose of salbutamol for a trip in the mountains?

Though Enzo, this statement bugs me a bit: “leaving Chibiki to drive the boy to town and the hospital (and conveniently out of the picture…”; are you trying to say that Chibiki’s a suspect for being the Another, or am I reading your writing wrong? Since I’m pretty sure Chibiki can’t be the extra because, well, he’s been chronicling the different years, each with their own Anothers, meaning he can’t be dead, and so he doesn’t satisfy the Another’s criteria.

On the other hand, that student could in fact be the Another, especially if he doesn’t die from the attack, and maybe that’s where your ‘trolling’ comment comes from.

No Bard-san, I’m not suggesting Chibiki is the Another – in fact I think it’s just about impossible. I just think it’s quite deliberate on the part of the writer that he happens to be away from the lodge when it looks like all the shit is going to go down. There are things that only he brings to the table, as the only one who’s been involved in this nightmare from the beginning, that would get in the way of what’s going to happen next. Just my hunch.

Consider you see someone sharpening a blade before the end of the conversation had me freaked out before Teshigawra banged on the door I got the impression someone had snapped.

I don’t think it’s Reiko who is the another I actually ruled here out as a suspect as she comes off as someone far more traumatized from her experience and with the memory lose due to the missing apparition I’m wondering if she felt more emotionally attached to the Another in her class which might be why she is so troubled by the gaps in her memory (and heart).

The thing about twins is the trait is hereditary and can be passed down in a family tree…

I am not sure if this has been brought up in previous posts, but maybe it is significant: Back in the first episode I thought the ending would reveal the order of deaths to come, but that idea was quickly discarded. Looking at it again this episode, I realized that everyone in the ending (minus the first girl- who turned out to be the first death in the show) is still alive… Probably not a coincidence. Any thoughts?

In regards to that theory people had about the ending showing the order of death, you could say it isn’t really disproven yet as the order could still be valid in regards to those specific characters…not that I’m really expecting that to be the case.

Man… even if you just listen to the voices and music in this show it takes your breath away. The music when they were listening to the tape and talking about killing a classmate was especially brilliant.

Well, the calamity starting in April and the class having enough seats (mentioned a few episodes back) before Kouichi came seems to point at the Another being someone that in class 3 but doesn’t have to sit down…

I’ll agree that the little touches of romance between Kouichi and Mei really add a special something to this show. In other shows romance is nice, but here its almost essential. The whole feeling would change to just deathly serious without Mei and Kouichi’s attraction, plus it’d also be a waste making Mei so cute otherwise. As well as being important to the plot, those scenes in Mei’s room were pretty touching with how much she was confiding in him.

Now Teshigawra just needs to tell us who he let loose on a murderous rampage and we’ll be set to finish this thing! XD With the way we were really shown the faces of all the classmates in detail for the first time, I’m thinking we’re looking at multiple casualties…

You raise an excellent point, one that might be the deciding clue. If Class 3-3 had enough seats before Kouichi came, even though the Another was (according to Mei) already there before him, it logically can’t be any of the students of class 3-3. Therefore, there are only two suspects remaining: Reiko and Ms. Mikami. If Reiko really didn’t come along to the class trip, that would leave only Ms. Mikami, although I somehow doubt it will be that easy…

I’m kinda disappointed that my theory of Mei being the Another turned out to be (most likely) wrong, but I was at least able to guess that the girl she visited in the hospital was, in fact, her twin sister.

It actually makes total logical sense. If student seats were good to begin with, then perhaps it has to be either of those two. And judging from how the writers want to “mind blown” everything, the perfect “mind blown” situation would be ideally, someone who has gotten screen time, yet there’s just too little or nothing we know about them. Again, great theory.

Kouichi being in town 18 months ago. Mei pointed out how similar his mom and his aunt look and we know his memory of being in town before has been erased. For what reason? I’m going to make an educated guess and say that is because his aunt died and he came for her funeral. Coincidentally, she looks pretty damn similar to Ms. Mikami.

That would make the twins thing relevant (and a big hint too) and explain why that memory had to be erased.

Strangely, it was explicitly made obvious instead in the manga. The anime overtook the translated manga’s current progress, but it’s not like there were any major differences barring Reiko and Mikami-sensei’s appearance and Akazawa not speaking until much later.

I think Kouichi’s aunt is the teacher. If you go back to ep7 at around 9:38 mark, they were looking at the class roaster of the class his aunt was in. The scene was panning really quickly along the name list. But if you stop it at the right time, you can see the name “something”-kami Reiko at the upper left corner. And if I were to guess what the entire last name is, it’s probably Mikami…

Haven’t watched the episode yet, but all I want is for the Teshigawra and Akazawa ship to sail beautifully and into the sunset, past all of the pain they leave behind.
Is that too much to ask, cruel fate?Am I the only one who ships those two, even with her thing for Kouichi?

Thanks Enzo, great write and I believe you’ve captured the heart of this episode.

I definitely have mixed feelings about Mei’s not looking sooner and trying to help,
but it is a delima. I’ll have to re-watch to see if there’s something else with
that – did she realize with certainty then that it’s a real ability. She said she
always kept it covered in school – I admit I don’t understand. The writers have me
at their mercy on this one because I want Mei to be cute and perfect – not flawed
and maybe a little self-centered. Wow!

We have to be careful here, we assume that killing the Another is the only solution -
we don’t know if confronting the Another and telling he/she they are dead would’ve worked.

Pretty good episode. Lately though, Another’s been getting really Final Destination-ish, since every time a new character, who isn’t part of the main six, is introduced, he’s just killed off for the sake of being killed. Anyways, this felt like a step in a right direction, and the tension was solid all throughout.

By that line of thought, the only way to stop the phenomenon for any particular year is to kill the Another before any deaths occur. Of course, the curse would still happen year after year until the deaths from the previous couple decades run themselves out.

Geez, don’t kill off Akazawa! It doesn’t look good for her in the preview. And they took away all good vibes they built for her character by making her go all super$itching in this episode all of sudden, as if preparing her to be killed next. If they must, please let her survive one more episode! Just one more. that’s all I ask! I’ll be pissed if they kill her off before the final episode. We all know they won’t kill off Misaki, but must they kill off Akazawa so close to the end? Say it isn’t so~~~!!

just speculation, but my money is on mochizuki for a few reason.. he always look ill (close to death?arguably), he was in the “non-existent” team in the beach episode, i think he tampered with the tape… that aside.. akazawa was my favourite until she put misaki on blast.. that was a dick move. :(

I have to hand it to Akazawa, I don’t think a character has changed what I think about them in one scene. I gave her a lot of leeway because off the pressure of being in charge, but that scene at diner really make me dislike her for calling out Mei.
For a second there I thought they were actually going to tell us who the Another was, but sadly it was another troll. I just hope nothing happens to Mei.

I’m glad the speculation that I and many people had about killing the Another would end the curse was right. I’m not going to write down my speculation on how to tell who the Another is because the series is ending really soon. I also think that the word got out that killing the Another would end the curse and all the students are basically going to kill each other in blind hope of killing the right person. Base on the preview it would seem that way but as GE pointed out, the previews of this anime are troll previews and I don’t put much stake on them telling us what is going to happen in the next episode. What I do hope to happen is that the person who died, died because of the curse and not someone going on a crazy killing spree. I’d prefer the show stay to it’s mysterious roots instead of swaying into the Lord of the Flies scenario as I do not think it needs to go that route to stay interesting. Oh, one more thing, I really like how they are trolling us on the romantic aspect of Kouichi x Misaki. Man, what I would do to have a room alone with Misaki and a toothbrush lol.

I love this series. It always keeps you on your feet and makes you keep thinking who’s the actual dead one. I had suspected it could be Akazawa due to her lack of recall (but the altered memory theory disproves this) and even Teshi, whom I’m eyeing suspiciously these last few episodes. Then again, Logere’s theory makes total sense too. Darn it, which one?!

BQ: Anyone else going to watch the series again after it is over? It seems like they have put hints since the beginning. We had it all along.

Hmmm. So if Misaki’s sister was part of the curse, then the count was too high in the classroom to begin with. From the first day. There’s only one person that could be the “other”, then. Can’t be a student.

I feel that even if they know who the Another is there might be something bigger to the story. most likely troll T-T
side note: When i saw the photo of who the dead person was I screamed. Even if it was an image link… I still screamed :((((

Teshigawara “MAY have done something bad” worded so because he may have saved everyone and have nobody remember who he’s talking about thus allowing him to get away with it….as if. but DAM I just knew his impulsiveness would mean he’d be the first to jump to conclusions and kill someone. It’s to bad I don’t think he’ll do well in prison, I liked Teshigawara :(

Interesting… assuming info were fed is correct, from theoretical viewpoint only 100% sure method of individual survival is to kill off all students except yourself… Unless you have Mei on your side!
Now when will the students start killing one ANOTHER? (yay for incredibly lame pun!)

- Dragged out confession, and I already expected what the confession is with the so many hints they gave.
- Hey this is a horror story so everything, everyone in the story is reacting like they should be in a horror story – I feel this is done in a very Forcibly manner.
- Misaki can see the dead? Really? This story should have been finish in only 1 episode, no need for 12.

Initial impression after watching this episode…maybe after quite sometime I will see this episode much positively, but for now…

I think that random student did not do a killing spree. But more like, he committed suicide or something. But that’s just a guess and all so I am shutting up now. Then again, it might have been a killing spree because of the poor kid’s paranoia.

Before her lashing out at Mei this ep. I don’t think there were any particular negative points against her. I thought the cafe scene with her and Kouichi set her up as a pretty likable person. She’s strong, prideful, and willingly took on a responsibility that I’m sure nobody else was eager to get. The only thing I fault her for as head of countermeasures is placing all the blame on Mei without having informed Kouichi of the rules. If Akazawa would have just told him the situation so he understood why Mei didn’t exist and then Mei still interacted with him, that would have been a different story and her anger would be semi-justified.

Her previous glares at Mei came off as a stain on her pride for failing to protect the class and having the curse go rampant on her watch with Mei being the easy target for her anger. Acceptable enough, that’s only human and she kept her misdirected anger inside. Her speech in front of the class crossed the line though, even from her perspective and logic then herself, Kouichi and Mei should be equally at fault.

I still like her though, her character feels like a real person to me…though that may come to be quite the ironic statement.

Even though the students aren’t safe at home eithe not all of them came with the class. I only notice 19 students of the 26 that are alive so why would they stay home anyway? Besides that I don’t really like the two old people of the mansion. That old man had a face like he wanted them to leave already and I understand that. Class 3 only cause bad publicity for their mansion. I think Naoya killed his childhood friend and while looking at the preview I think Izumi also will be in big trouble, well not only Izumi but also the other students.

This is not a spoiler – but it relies on input of people who pointed out stuff that were obvious in the manga but not at all in the anime adaption. If you are certain that you know what detail i’m referring to – proceed to click the spoiler tag.

The whole purpose of the picture of kou’s mother and aunt (http://randomc.net/image/Another/Another%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2023.jpg) and Misakis’s “They look alike” comment – is for the viewer to make the connection between Mikami sensie and Reiko – they are actually the same person; in the picture – Kou’s mother looks alot alike Mikami sensie – and if Kou’s mom looks a lot like Reioko… Then you get the picture. This is the first time in the anime that the connection between Reiko and Mikami sensei is even remotely clear (if you squint). Manga readers say that it is clear from the start that Mikami sensei is in fact, Kou’s aunt – but in the anime they went as far as giving the two different voice actors as to not reveal the connection between to two. And if the writers went that far to hide the connection.. I think we hit the Jackpot!

As to the doll Misaki delivered to her twin – I can’t get out of my head the phrase “Justice is Blind” – for the doll was “blind”folded. Misaki said “I need to deliver something to my other poor half” – what if she wanted to deliver justice – and we were dealing with the devil all along……?!

There was actually a slight hint that Kouichi’s aunt is the teacher. If you go back to ep7 at around 9:38 mark, they were looking at the class roaster of the class his aunt was in. The scene was panning really quickly along the name list. But if you stop it at the right time, you can see the name “something”-kami Reiko at the upper left corner. And if I were to guess what the entire last name is, it’s probably Mikami…

And if we do so, what’s the point of watching this show?
Quoted from Guardian Enzo, in Japanese horror, atmosphere is everything. Imagine if there is a heart-shocking scene and all you hear is sound of vehicles’ horn on the road and/or people chatting, leaves this show to almost nothing. Granted, plot of Another is pretty complex and intriguing even without horror aspect. But as far as I know, the main selling-point of every horror show is to make us frightened, or at least screaming at one scene or two, right?

The fansub normally out at noon, yet I still waiting until evening (I turn off the lights and with headphones on, of course) to makes Another wonderfully show its gem, that is, shocking scenes. No other show this season forced me to make exception like this. Kudos to P.A.Works.

Seriously, I don’t intend to bully new writer on randomc with this comment. Peace, Stereoman. ^_^

Silly asthmatic kid. I know it may be difficult to see if you’re running low on your inhaler if it doesn’t have a counter but c’mon! No excuses for him. Especially when he knew he was going up a mountain.

As Saint saint had said I looked back at the first 2 minutes of the first episode and noticed that the scene where the guy is telling a girl about the curse showed Very familiar things…

An umbrella (First Death)
Stairs
Black Bag (Teacher)
Rusty Elevator (Nurse)
Old Room (Tape)
Smiling Face
A Knife
Stop Light
A Playing Tape
Boat (Guy who got butchered)
Fire
A dark Road
The Bird
Do not enter sign (The one that was on the stairs, the one Mei bumped with her beautiful foot)

I think If anyone with Deep Insight can figure out who the Another and the fate of the Class with just that 2 minute scene… Especially since now that were so close to the end.

From your post, I understand why Mei is keeping the identity of the Another a secret but her aloofness is still suspicious. Knowing the identity of the Another yet standing idly by, watching classmates die off, with the possibility that she will be a victim herself.

If Kou did not approach her, she’ll probably take this secret to her death. Provided that she is NOT the Another…

Poor Mei, to see her shaking while trying to suppress her sadness of her sister’s death to the curse. Really felt like hugging her then.

I guess bumping off the Another midway through the school term would be something akin to a “Golden Goal” in sports, where the scoring of that ends the game prematurely.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_goal

All those cute flashback scenes with Mei and her sister will be shown more in detail in the DVD-only Episode 0.

I’m thinking its Akazawa or Teshigawara who is the another. Akazawa because her meeting should not have altered any memories but Kouichi does not rememeber her. Teshigawara because his actions seems to coincide (even fi not deliberately) with stopping anyone from knowing more.

This is assuming what Mei says is actually true because if its not, Kouichi + Mei both being Anothers are the best bet i would think

Seems Sakakibara has been in Yomiyama for a year and a half, after all, just as his father thought.

He’d just been in the hospital the whole time. That’s why he’s in hospital garb in Akazawa’s dream, which is really an unaltered memory.

Everyone’s memories have been altered to conceal it, which allowed the curse to manufacture the extra student situation, even though Sakakibara should already have been accounted for.

His father probably thought “That’s right”, only in reference to Kouichi starting school. It also explains Kouichi’s grandfather’s asking him if he was going back to the hospital, implying an extended stay,

It’s tempting to think Kouichi died in the hospital, and is the Other, but this series has trolled over and over! I’m sticking by my “not a student” guns.

Oh, GE’s serious, all right. Japan’s vending machine industry is… out there.
Anyway, Another is taking too much of a toll on my sleep, trying to unravel every clue and not think about umbrellas, elevators, falling rocks, and the like.